Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

Chapter 4: Presents

Dinner was soon over, and he decided to go back up to his room to read a little. The last few days had been hectic, and Sora was still trying to catch up it seemed. The rain had abated to a soft drizzle. Then, he heard through the walls someone practicing on their sitar. It was Demyx, he knew, was learning. But the way he played, it seemed more like he was a master. Sora could tell if music was good by the emotions it brought out in him.

Sora recognized the song Demyx was playing. At first he couldn't remember from where, but then it all came flooding back to him.

Sora walks into the restaurant, Kairi holding his hand. They were seated at once, on a smaller table by the window. Kairi looked out and admired the beautiful view of the city lights. A candle in the middle of the table lit her hair and face up, making her even more pretty. The quartet started playing a slow, sweet song. And Sora asked her if she would go out with him.

Demyx was playing that same sweet tune, slowly as he had heard it those years ago. Sora unconsciously wiped the tears that formed in his eyes. He picked up the phone and dialed Kairi's number.

"Sora?!? Hey!"

"Hey Kairi! I really miss you."

"I miss you too. How have things been going?" Sora babbled away for a while, not even noticing how Kairi quickly lost interest.

"… So, what have you been doing?"

"Oh. You know. The same old things." Sora wondered what they were. Before he had left, she had done all the usual things with him. Go get ice-cream, take the train to the beach for a day. She couldn't be doing that alone.

"Sora, I have to tell you that…" Sora could hear someone calling to her in the background. He could tell she wasn't at home, but couldn't figure out where she actually was.

"Sorry, I have to go. See you later."

"Bye, I love you"

"Yea, bye." She was acting so strange. He had wanted comfort, and it didn't even seem like she had really been interested in anything he said. This made him feel even worse, and embarrassed. He had only been gone for a little while, and he missed her like crazy. But she didn't miss him at all. She hadn't even bothered to say she loved him.

Sora dejectedly hung up the phone and turned around in the chair, to see Riku looking at him. Sora's cheeks turn a bright pink, and he tires to hide the fact he's been crying.

"Don't cry over girls. They aren't worth it." Sora looked at Riku, surprised at his words. What could bring him to say something like that? Something terrible must have happened.

Sora picked himself up and walked over to his bed. He took off his shirt and flopped into bed, waiting for sleep to overcome him. Waiting for his one sanctuary.

Weeks went by, then weeks turned into months. Sora's phone calls to Kairi didn't get more encouraging. In fact, they were worse. She wouldn't say she loved him, and only reluctantly did she say she missed him. But Sora couldn't accept that she was moving on from him, that she didn't want to make a long distance relationship work.

Besides his disappointment in Kairi, everything at school was going just fine. It was a week till Christmas break, and everyone was in a festive mood. The juniors (and Sora) had decorated their small dorm with tinsel, and they had even bought a small Christmas tree, which was rare on Destiny Island. The boys had decorated it, putting strings of tiny fairy lights and Christmas ornaments on the tree. Instead of a star, Zexion had insisted that they put up an angel he had made. It was beautiful.

Sora was getting along better with Riku too. They would study together in the evenings, and Riku would spar with Sora to help him hone technique. Sora was one of the best in his class, and Sephiroth worked him extra hard because of it.

The boys took Saturday off from school work. Some went into town, while others stayed to hang around. Tonight was a special night for Sora. It was he and Riku's turn to cook dinner for everyone. Because Sora could hardly manage to make anything besides an ice-cream Sunday (and even then, he used the sea salt flavor. Eww), Riku had decided they would make spaghetti, the same as on the night Sora first came to DBA.

They were in the kitchen at 5:00. Sora complained about not being able to go out with Roxas and the guys (and Olette), but Riku had made him promise to come and help make dinner.

"Because I'm counting on you, Sora." He had been incredibly happy when Riku told him that, getting butterflies in his stomach.

But now, as Riku got all the ingredients out and told Sora what to do, he really wished he could just watch instead. Mishap after mishap occurred, but Riku never got angry, and Sora was thankful for it. First he spilled the pasta on the floor, and when he finally managed to get it to boil, he dropped the steaming hot water all over the floor because the handle was too hot. After this was cleaned up, Riku had him chop tomatoes for the sauce. Sora eventually cut his finger and had Riku run and get a Band-Aid for him.

"Riku, can you kiss it? It'll make my finger better." Riku gave him a half amused, half questioning look before raising Sora's hand to his lips and lightly kissing his finger. Sora blushed, which made Riku grin. Riku actually found Sora extremely cute, even sexy at times. But he would never tell or let the young boy how attractive he was. That would require his pride be disregarded.

Dinner ended up being 10 minutes late, and grumpy Axel didn't want to wait. He complained and complained until Riku shut him up.

"Your just like this cause Roxas went to the beach and you couldn't go with him!" Axel turned as scarlet as his hair, but didn't deny it. Everyone congratulated Sora and Riku on dinner. Afterwards Sora and Riku made their way upstairs together, and just as they walked in the door, the phone rang.

"hello?" Riku answered.

"Yea, its me." Riku made a face to Sora, indicating it was his girlfriend. Sora knew how Riku felt about her, and even though he advised Sora just to end it and break up with her, he wouldn't do it. And so even though he disapproved, Riku supported the boy as best he could.

"Sora, are you coming to visit over winter break?"

"Yea, I've been looking forward to seeing you, Kairi."

"Oh, cause my friend invited me to come stay at his place for a while, and so I wont be there the first couple of days you are. Just wanted to let you know. Bye." And with that, she hung up. Riku could tell right away where the conversation was heading, and when Sora gently put down the phone, Riku tightly embraced the slender boy. Sora sobbed into his chest and brokenly retold what she had said.

"Shh, I'm here for you, okay? It'll be alright." Sora just grasped onto him tighter, and cried harder until he felt there was nothing else left; he felt empty. He would have been swept away by tears, except Riku was there to keep him safe. Riku slowly guided him into the bedroom and laid him down on the bed. He sat there until he was sure Sora was asleep, and then silently stood and undressed and went to sleep himself.

The day before Sora was set to leave, he got up early and pounced on the still sleeping Riku.

"Wha- what is it? Sora?" Sora bouned around a little more.

"I got you something, since I wont be here on Christmas. D'ya wanna open it now?!" Riku, even in his half-asleep state, could tell how exited Sora was.

"Yea!" Sora grinned and handed him a present, Santa print with green velvety ribbon. Riku shook it a little, but didn't hear anything. And the box was light. Curiosity got the best of him, and he slowly undid the ribbon and tried to unwrap the present without tearing the paper.

"Come on Riku, this'll take all day!" But Riku ignored it, and kept going till he got to the box. And inside was… a purple elephant? It had cute overalls and a little pocket.

"I know from experience that it's easier to sleep when you have someone to be there all night." Sora had multiple stuffed animals that he kept on his bed, and once, Riku had told Sora he hadn't ever had a stuffed animal before. It was so sweet, and Riku loved it. Sora could tell from the giddy, silly smile Riku had on his face, like a little kid.

"You know, Sora, I have a present for you too." Sora was surprised, and then happy.

"Let me open it, ne!" Riku smiled and pulled out a little box from under his bed. It was wrapped in silver paper with a thin red bow. Sora opened it, more quickly than Riku had his. Inside was a tiny silver paupu fruit on a delicate chain. Sora gasped at the beautiful present. Riku picked it up and put it around Sora's neck. It almost brought Sora to tears. They hadn't started off to well, but now… now they were close. Sora admired Riku, was always happy around him.

But their sweet moment was broken by the smell of breakfast and the rumble in Sora's tummy.

Wohoo the fourth is done! Please review, and tell me what you think!